Box closing machine



Nov. 7, 1961 Filed Dec. 3, 1957 LE ROY M. VARGA BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

B 1. eroy M. l arga Curr/s, Morris 8 Safford ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 7, 1961 LE ROY M. VARGA 3,007,394

BOX CLOSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

W 2 LeroyM. Varga Cari/s, Morris 8 501 fora A T TOR/V5 Y5.

Nov. 7, 1961 LE ROY M. VARGA 3, 0

BOX CLOSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet a 45 I E INVENTOR.

L eroy M. l/arga Our/is, Morris 8 Saffard ATTORNEYS.

N V- 7, 1961 LE ROY M. VARGA 3,007,394

BOX CLOSING MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 eroy M. l arga Y FL-1 A B Cuff/s, Morris 8 Safford ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1961 LE ROY M. VARGA BOX CLOSING MACHINE 5 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Dec. 3, 1957 F l 1 I I I llll INVENTOR.

. Leroy M. l arga Our/1's, Morris 8 Safford A T TORNE Y5.

3,007,394 lcg Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,007,394 BQX CLOSING MACHINE Le Roy M. Varga, Dover, N.J., assignor to Stapling Machines Co., Rockaway, NJ. Filed Dec. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 700,506 Claims. (Cl. 100-56) This invention relates to a machine for closing wirebound boxes and crates of the general type shown, for example, in United States Patent No. 1,933,030 and, more particularly, to a machine for automatically or semiautomatically receiving selectively from either side of the machine a filled Wirebound box or crate of the character described and squaring it, sizing it, closing it, fastening it closed, and ejecting the closed and fastened box or crate from the rear of the machine.

Wirebound boxes or crates of the character to which this invention relates are, as is well-known, generally comprised of a plurality of slats joined together by encircling binding wires forming, when assembled, a generally rectalinear box with a top or lid hinged to the box along one side thereof by the encircling binding wires. After such boxes are filled, the top or lid is closed and fastened by interconnecting fastening portions of the encircling binding Wire along the edge of the top or lid opposite to the hinged edge. Preferably, the top or lid carries at the ends thereof depending cleats for fitting over and outside the top edges of the ends of the box or crate to prevent lengthwise bulging of the box ends so long as the top is in fastened closed position. Also, as noted in the aforementioned patent and is well-known in the art of wirebound boxes or crates, the fastening means most generally comprise an open loop of who formed from the encircling binding wire at the open edge of the top or lid portion and an elongated end of the binding Wire protruding above the top of the front of the box so that, when the top or lid of the box or crate is closed, the elongated end portion at the box front protrudes upwardly through the wire loop at the front edge of the top or lid. Upon bending this upstanding wire forward and down, it is made to engage and fasten the top or lid closed.

Wirebound boxes or crates of the character described are frequently used for packing fruits and produce for shipment. For a number of reasons, such boxes or crates are filled initially quite full and even to a bulging extent.

Advantages are obtained, accordingly, if the closing op- V erations, and including squaring the box and sizing the box with particular attention to pressingthe ends into where they are inside the aforementioned depending cleats on the top or lid, are all accomplished by automatic or semi-automatic machinery. Such machinery has been proposed, as evidenced by the copending application of David G. Kingsley, Serial No. 406,506, filed January 27, 1954, and is particularly adapted for use in packing plants, etc. In situations, however, where the packing or crating of produce is to be accomplished outdoors in the field or orchard Where the produce is grown, it may be desired to have a box closing machine of some portability for setting up in the field during the harvesting and packing season, as well as to having a machine which will receive-filled boxes or crates to be closed selectively from a plurality of conveyors leading into either side of the machine for optimum efliciency in the harvesting and packing operations which, under such circumstnces, may frequently be accomplished predominately by hand.

According to this invention, then, a machine is provided for automatically or semi-automatically sizing, squaring, closing and fastening filled wirebound boxes or crates of the character described and having provision for accepting selectively or alternatively or at the operators desire filled boxes or crates to be closed from conveyors leading into the machine from either or both sides and for ejecting the closed fastened box from the rear of the machine to a single shipping or gathering point. Generally the device embodying this invention includes provisions for accepting crates from the infeed conveyors one at a time, positioning them at the sizing and closing station, automatically after actuation by the operator squaring the box from all sides, sizing the end portions thereof, closing the lid or top, and fastening the inter engaging wire loop fasteners, and then automatically ejecting the box while the device readies itself for receipt of another box to be closed which may be waiting on either of the infeed conveyors. Other objects and advantages of devices embodying this invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings- FIG. l -is an end view of a machine embodying this invention with the parts thereof in open or box receiving position, the infeed and ejection conveyors having been omitted for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a front view (i.e., from the operators side) of a machine embodying and for practicing this invention also with the parts thereof in open or receiving position;

FIG. 3 is an end view similar to FIG. 1 with the parts of the machine in closed or box closing and fastening position;

FIG. 4 is a front View similar to FIG. 2 showing a machine embodying and for practicing this invention with the parts thereof in closed position;

FIG. 5 is a partial detailed view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial detailed view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of one of the infeeding conveyors of a machine embodying and for practicing this invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the infeeding conveyor of FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, an illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown as having generally a horizontal bed 10 supported by front and rear upright frame members 11 and 12 respectively. A main power source for the box squaring, sizing, closing, fastening, and ejecting components of. the machine is illustrated by the electric motor and drive 15 which is arranged in known manner as by a chain-andsprocket 16 to rotate continuously main drive shaft 17. A one revolution clutch arrangement is provided and includes a drum 20 keyed or otherwise aflixed for rotation with drive shaft 17 and a friction clutch band unit 21 fitting rotatably over drum 20 and nesting in a sleeve 22 to which is drivably attached a sprocket 23 and on which rides a clutch-engaging mechanism 24 actuated as will be explained below selectively by depressing either pedal 28 or the upper portion of control rod 25.

With drive shaft 17 continuously rotating, when the clutch mechanism is disengaged, drum 20 rotates with shaft 17, but the friction clutch band unit 21 is loose around drum 20 so that it as Well as sleeve 22 and sprocket 23 are stationary While shaft 17 and drum 20 rotate freely with respect thereto. Upon engaging the clutch, however, as by actuating lever 24 or rod 26, the friction band 21, is made to engage or grab rotating drum 20 thereby driving sleeve 22 and sprocket 23. Sprocket 23 drives crankshaft 25 in known manner as, for example, through chain 46 and sprocket 27, and it is crankshaft 25 which serves as the motive power for the various 3 sizing, closing, squaring, etc., operations. In the embodiment shown the gear ratio between sprockets 23 and 27 are such that one revolution of sprocket 23 produces onehalf revolution of crankshaft 25.

Crankshaft 25, then, rotates to produce two sequential principal actions within the machine. It operates the closing and squaring and sizing members through connecting rods 29 and it also elongates a number of tension springs hereafter described, through ejector spring pivot arm 36, to accumulate the power to eject a box from the machine after closing.

In the illustrated embodiment, the foregoing mechanism is arranged to make two cycles per box with a hesitation or delay therebetween under the control of the operator. Only the first cycle is initiated by the operator originally, the second cycle being initiated by operation of the mechanism which actually fastens the interconnecting wire fastening loops after the box is closed. This controlled sequence of operations is accomplished in part by a mechanism such as ,is illustrated in FIG. 6. That is, the clutch engaging lever 24- rides on sleeve 22 and carries a circular cam surface 39 having a notch or cutout portion 31 at one point in the circumference thereof. A cam follower roller 32 is mounted on the actuating arm 33 of friction band unit 21. When either pedal 8 or rod 2:: are depressed, lever 24 is rotated to bring it into the lower dot-dash position indicated in FIG. 6. Such movement of lever 24 also rotates cam 30 thereon so as to force cam follower 32 out of cutout 31, thereby moving arm 33 to a position where the friction band grabs or engages the outer surface of clutch drum 2%. Immediately pedal 28 or rod 26 is released and these members, along with lever 24, are returned to the upper or full-line position of FIG. 6 by spring 35'. With the friction band or clutch engaged, however, unit 21 is rotating with respect to lever 24 and the cam 39 thereon with cam follower 32 riding the outer circumference of cam 30 maintaining arm 33 in the extended or engaged position. As soon as cam follower 32 makes one complete revolution about cam 30, it relocates in cutoutfil thereby permitting arm 33 to move inwardly and thus releasing the friction band of unit 21 from clutch drum 20. Thus, one cycle of motions to be described below is completed and the machine moved from an open box receiving position to a closed box closing position. To open the machine and eject the box being closed, one other one-revolution cycle is necessary and this is initiated by a portion of the upper part of the machine, later to be described, engaging the top of rod 26 and depressing it to repeat the cycle just described. It is also preferred to provide'a lug (not shown) on sprocket 23 to engage a stop on rod 25 or adjacent parts of the apparatus to prevent overtravel of the device and assure positive stopping when cam follower 32 drops into the cutout portion 31 of cam 30.

Comparison of FIGS. 1 and 3 with FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrates the machine in the open box receiving position (FIGS. 1 and 2) as compared to the closed box closing etc., position (FIGS. 3 and 4). Movement from one of these positions to the other is accomplished by the action of connecting rods 29 as driven by crankshaft 25 through one-half revolution for each opening or closing cycle.

As illustrative, it will be noted, referring to FIG. 1, rotation of crankshaft 25 from the position shown lowers connecting rod 29 thereby pulling top frame 40 downwardly around its pivoted mounting 41 on upright frame members 12. As top frame 40 descends, various members converge to press upon the rear, top and ends of the box or crate, and these members are activated as will now be explained, by the downward movement of top frame member 40 as drawn by connecting rods 29. For example, a back presser 45 moved forward to press against the rear cleats or frame members 56 of a box indicated at 57 positioned in the machine so that the back presser forces the box toward stationary stops 58 at the front of the machine. Simultaneously, two end tucker members 60 fold down to engage and displace inwardly the ends of the box being closed.

A preferred mechanism for operating back presser 45 is indicated particularly in FIG. 5 as comprising a bracket pivotally mounted at 66 on an arm 67 affixed to rear upright frame members 12. A cam surface 70 is also provided against which bears a cam follower roller 71. Thus, as upper frame member 40 is lowered from the position shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 5, cam follower 71 will engage cam surface 70 to force back presser 45 and arm 65 to pivot from the position shown in FIG. 1 into the operative position shown in FIG. 5. Release of this member occurs under the action of spring 73 which returns back presser 45 to the position shown in FIG. 1 upon raising of top 49 at the completion of a cycle.

The mechanism for end tuckers 60 includes a. cam follower roller 75 attached to top frame member .40 and engaging an inclined cam surface 76 on arm 77 pivotally mounted at 78 on a stationary bracket or support 79 affixed to stationary upright 12. One side of arm 77, as noted, carries an inclined cam surface 75 and a straight cam surface 80 so that, as top frame member 40 descends, the roller 75 thereof engages cam surfaces 76 and 80 successively, thus forcing arm 77 to pivot downwardly and inwardly until end tucker 60 engages and displaces the ends of a box being closed. Needless to say, there is a similar end tucker structure at each end of the machine, although, for clarity, only one has been illustrated and described. When upper frame member 40 is again raised into its open position, the arms 77 of end tucker 60 are urged again upwardly and outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2 by the action of a spring 81 here illustrated as extending clear across the machine for actuating the end tucker at both sides and as being connected therewith by a short length of chain 82 riding over stationary supports 78.

With the machine in the closed position indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a box or crate 57 is compressed and squared and sized by and between rollers 85 on bed 10, stationary front stops 58, back presser 45, and end tucker 60. Also with the complete lowering of the upper frame member 40, the top or lid of a box 57 is closed downwardly and held closed by a top presser mountedon a bracket 91 on top frame member 40. In the illustrated embodiment, it will be noted, the rollers 95 of the infeed conveyor described below are arranged with the centerline thereof somewhat above the level of the centerline of rollers 85 so as to provide a further positioning device for a box or crate being fed onto rollers 85 of bed 10.

With the squaring and sizing and closing members in place upon the arrival of upper frame member 48 in its lowermost position, where, of course, it remains since the main drive clutch arrangement, as previously described, has been automatically disengaged so that the moving parts of the machine are at rest and holding the box or crate square, sized and closed, the loop engaging or fastening steps are accomplished. As indicated somewhat diagrammatically in FIG. 2, upstanding loops of end portions of the binding wire 101 engage through wire loops 102 on the open edge of the lid or top of the box or crate. With the device generally in the position of FIG. 3, the operator manipulates handbar 105 forword and down from the dotted position shown in FIG. 3 to the full line position shown in FIG. 5. This handbar is pivoted at 106 to a bracket 107 on upper frame members 40, and carries a plurality of loop benders 110 spaced therealong across the machine and positioned to coincide with the various loops. Manipulation of handbar 105 and its associated structures to the position indicated in FIG. 5 causes loop benders 110 to engage the upstanding loops 100 and bend them forward and down to the position shown in FIG. 5 for the final fastening of the closed bOX. When handbar 105 is manipulated to its'lowermost position, a stop 11'1 thereon engages the upper portion of control rod 26 and depresses it, as previously explained, to engage the main drive clutch friction band device 21 to grab clutch drum 20 to engage the clutch for an additional half-revolution of crankshaft 25 which, in turn, as will be understood, raises connecting rods 29 and thereby also raises upper frame member 40 about its pivot. This upward travel of frame 40 permits the relaxation and disengagement of back presser 45 and, end tucker 6t),top presser 90, etc., to release the closed and fastened box or crate 57 for ejection from the machine along output conveyor 120 as indicated in FIGS. .1 and 3. 7

One embodiment of an ejection arrangement to accomplish discharge of the finished box or crate automatically is illustrated. as also being energized through the operation of crankshaft 25. Thus, a cam 125 is provided keyed to crankshaft 25 and has a cam follower roller 126 affixed to ejector spring pivot arm 36. When the machine is cycled to the closed or lowered position of upper frame member 40, cam 125 and cam follower 126 are so oriented that, as indicated in FIG. 3, ejector spring pivot arm 36 is forced rearwardly (toward the left in FIG. 3) about the pivot point 127 thereof, and this action, in turn, moves the upper end of ejector actuator arm 130 forwardly (toward the right in FIG. 3) about the pivot point 131 thereof through the action of connecting rod 132 from the dotted position shown in FIG. 3 to the solid line position indicated therein. To the upper end of ejector operator arms 130 is pivotally attached ejector members 135. As indicated in the drawings, on the forward (i.e., toward the right in FIG. 3) motion of actuator arm 13% ejectors 135, being pivoted at 136, slide along and clear the bottom of the box 57. When these members reach the solid line position of FIG. 3, spring 138 causes ejector 135 to pivot sufiiciently vertically that it, if again moved toward the left in FIG. 3, would bear upon and contact the front side of the box or crate. As will also be noted from the foregoing, the motion of ejector actuator 130 distends ejector springs 140 and maintains them distended so long as the crankshaft 25 is in the closed position of the machine.

Immediately crankshaft 25 is again rotated to raise connecting rod 29 and top frame member 40 into the open position of the machine, ejector pivot arm 36, connecting rod 132, and ejector actuator arms 130 are relaxed so that ejector springs 140 force ejector operator armback into the vertical poistion (i.e., toward dot-ted Line position of FIG. 3), during which motion ejectors 135 contact the bottom front edge of the crate or box 57 and eject it out through the rear of the machine (as towards the left in FIG. 3) over output conveyor 120. Even when this mechanism is in its raised or ejection position, however, it is still sufiiciently below the top line of infeed conveyor rollers 95 so as not to obstruct the entrance onto the bed of the next box or crate to be processed.

As previously noted, a device embodying and for practicing this invention is preferably constructed with two infeed conveyors leading into either side of the machine in such position that, if desired by the operator, a filled box or crate to be closed, etc., may be taken selectively from either side of the machine depending upon the sup ply of filled crates reaching the machine from a plurality of filling lines or stations. One embodiment of such infeed conveying mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 as the infeed conveyors for one side of the machine. As will be understood, a similar structure is preferably provided on the opposite side of the machine, but is not here separately illustrated.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, each infeed conveyor comprises a horizontal frame member 19%) positioned with one end adjacent the end of the machine (as indicated in FIG. 2) and having a supporting structure 141, 11, 143. A plurality of conventional conveyor rollers 145' are provided with suitable bearings, etc., on frame 190 along :with means for continuously driving rollers illustrated as motor chain-and-sprocket drive 151, reversing drive 152 and crossover connecting drive 153 to operate the rollers 145 of the opposite infeed conveyor, with the power being transmitted to individual rollers as by chainand-sprocket drive 155 from jack shaft 156 as will be understood.

Each wing conveyor is provided with a vertical stop 160 to interrupt feeding toward the machine of a filled box or crate to be processed as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 8. One-satisfactory arrangement for stop 160 is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 as comprising the upright stop 160 affixed to an arm pivotally mounted at 166 to frame 1% and supported in the raised solid line position shown by a pair of pivoted links 168 and 169. Pivotally attached to the midpivot 170 of links 168 and 169 is a connecting rod 171 the opposite end of which is connected by chain 172 in known manner to a depressable pedal 175. As will be understood, depressing pedal 175 by the operator causes connecting rod 171 to break the alignment between links 168 and 169, thereby lowering stop 160 and its pivoted arm 165 into the dot-dash line position of FIG. 8 so that a waiting filled crate 161 may be fed into the machine by the constantly rotating conveyor rollers 145. Relaxation of pedal 175 permits springs to return stop 160 to its upper position to prevent further infeed ofyanother crate until the operator again depresses one or another of the pedals 175. As will be understood, a similar arrangement is provided on each side of the machine so that the operator, by selecting one of the other of pedals 175 can determine from which'sideof the machine and from which infeeding conveyor the next box or crate will come.

As will be understood from the foregoing, the operation of the illustrative embodiments of this invention begins When one or more filled crates or boxes are waiting for closing, etc., on one or both of the infeed conveyors and retained thereon against approaching the machine by raised stops 160., Theoperator depresses one or another of pedals 175, thereby permitting one filled box to be fed into the machine. Since the level of the tops of rollers 145 of the in-feeding conveyors on which the box is resting are above the level of the central or operating portion of bed 10 (as indicated in more detail in FIG. 2), a crate being fed upon the driven conveyor rollers 145 will drop into a more or less centered position on bed plate and between rollers 95 as guided by deflector plates 186 in bed 10 of the machine. In this position the cleats or corners or edge pieces of the box or crate are resting primarily upon bed rollers 85 permitting more or less free but limited movement front and back within the central portion of the machine.

When the box or crate has thus entered the machine and is more or less centrally positioned therein the operator depresses pedal 28 to actuate the main clutch to drive crankshaft 25 one half rotation to move the machine into closed position and accomplish the squaring, sizing, closing, and fastening operations as described. As the box or crate is closed, the operator has immediately before his view the fastening loops 100 and 102 and, should there be any inadvertent misalignment of these loops, the operator manually interconnects them. After all is in order, the operator manipulates handbar 155 to bring the previously described loop bender into operation and fasten the box. As noted, the complete motion of this portion of the device depresses rod 26 to accommodate the machine automatically into a second half-revolution of crankshaft 25 which returns the machine to open position and ejects the fastening box or container rearwardly over roller conveyor 120. The machine, then, is ready to receive another filled box or crate from whichever one of the infeeding conveyors the operator selects by depressing pedal 175.

As will be seen from the foregoing, a machine for squaring, sizing, closing and fastening filled wirebound boxes or crates of the character described is provided as a more or less self-contained unit with an output conveyor leading from the rear of the machine to a central assembly or shipping point and with automatic infeeding conveyors leading into each side of the machine so that the one machine can receive and process filled boxes or crates being fed thereto from a plurality of filling or packing assembly lines whether in a packing plant or actually out in a field or orchard during harvest. This device as illustrated is simply operated by a single operator, and the arrangements of a construction of the parts and sequence of operation thereof are not only readily under the operators control but also provided in a manner where he can readily observe and manually correct any inadvertent misalignments of the parts of the crate or premature timing of the various steps and motions involved.

From the foreging description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a practical machine for automatically closing wirebound boxes. It will therefore be appreciated that the above mentioned desirable objectives have been achieved. However, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention shown and described herein are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described for closing wirebound boxes of the type having end and side portions distendably engaged by a plurality of encircling binding wires and a hingeably closable top to be fastened closed by interengageable loops at the ends of said encircling binding wires along a closing corner of said boxes comprising a Working station within said machine for receiving a box to be closed, box closing means in said machine above said working station, said box closing means including a frame mounted in said machine for movement from a raised to a lowered position, drive means for moving said box closing means between said raised position and said lowered position, means actuated by said movement of said box closing means for inwardly displacing the ends and sides of said box upon said lowering movement of said box closing means, means for mounting said means for inwardly displacing the ends and sides of said box on said frame, means on said frame for engaging the top of said box when said frame is in said lowered position for forcing the top of said box closed, closing means on said frame for engaging and fastening said interengageable loops while said box is held closed, and control means actuated by movement of said closing means to fastening position for actuating said drive means to move said box closing means upwardly to said raised position.

. 2. A machine according to claim 1 in which said drive means includes a crankshaft, continuously operating motor means, intermittently operating clutch means interconnecting said motor means and said crankshaft for rotating said crankshaft when said clutch means is engaged, means for automatically disengaging said clutch means after one-half revolution of said crank shaft, manual control means for engaging said clutch means for rotating said crankshaft, and a linkage interconnecting said crankshaft and said box closing means for moving said box closing means from said raised to said lowered position during one-half revolution of said crankshaft and for returning said box closing means to said raised position during the next one-half revolution of said ,crankshaft.

3. A machine according to claim 1 in which said drive means for moving said box closing means intermittently from said raised position to said lowered position also includes means for accumulating during said lowering movement an ejecting force for ejecting said box from said machine upon raising of said box closing means after closing and fastening said box.

4. A machine according to claim 1 in which said drive means includes a continuously rotating drive shaft, a crankshaft, means interconnecting said drive shaft with said crankshaft effecting one-half revolution of said crankshaft for one complete revolution of said drive shaft, and a l-revolution clutch on said drive shaft having means for automatically disengaging said clutch from said drive shaft after one revolution thereof.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which said l-revolution clutch includes a drum afiixed to said drive shaft, a friction band surrounding and for intermittently engaging said drum, a cam surface with respect to which said friction band rotates when said clutch is engaged and including a depression thereon, a cam follower riding on said cam surface, and means for disengaging said clutch and releasing said friction band from said drum when said cam follower is in said depression in said cam surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

